Highlights & Links for January 29, 2010
Politics/World
There’s a lot going on in political news today, so we’ll get right into it. The New York Daily News is reporting The White House ordered the Justice Department Thursday night to consider other places to try the 9/11 terror suspects after a wave of opposition to holding the trial in lower Manhattan. The dramatic turnabout came hours after Mayor Bloomberg said he would "prefer that they did it elsewhere" and then spoke to Attorney General Eric Holder. Estimates put the cost of a multiyear terror trial in lower Manhattan at about $200 million a year. Leaders have suggested other venues for the trial, such as the Military Academy at West Point or Stewart Air National Guard Base in upstate Newburgh. (New York Daily News)
Fox news is reporting President Obama will Propose a $33B Tax Credit for New Jobs. The plan, which Obama is scheduled to announce in a stop at a Baltimore business, would offer a $5,000 tax credit for each new worker hired this year, up to $500,000 per business. The jobs plan, which needs congressional approval, would end on Dec. 31. Administration officials proposed funding it with money repaid to the government from the 2008-09 bank bailout program. (Fox News)
The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke for a second term. Politico is reporting that while the Senate handily approved his nomination, 70-30, Bernanke still drew a record-breaking level of opposition and the Obama administration can’t feel entirely relieved that its nominee survived the rocky debate, since the distress and anger that fueled such a surge in anti-Bernanke feeling are unlikely to dissipate anytime soon. (Politico)
The Democratic-controlled Senate has pushed through a plan to allow the government to go $1.9 trillion deeper in debt. According to Breitbart.com The Democrats had to scramble to approve the plan, which means they won't have to vote on another increase until after the midterm elections this fall. To win the votes of moderate Democrats, President Barack Obama promised to appoint a special task force to come up with a plan to reduce the deficit. The House must still vote on the measure before it's sent to Obama for his signature. (Breitbart)
CNN is reporting Scott Roeder, the man on trial for gunning down Kansas late term abortion provider George Tiller in church said he had no regrets because "abortion is murder." He said he shot and killed Dr. Tiller as services began on May 31 to save the lives of the unborn. Roeder's testimony was peppered with objections from prosecutors, many of which were sustained by Judge Wilbert, who has maintained he does not want the trial to become a forum on abortion. (CNN)
Tech News
Wow the Ipad really stole the mainstream tech thunder this week, but there are a couple of things that I want to tell you about. Engadget is telling us that Fring for iPhone now lets you call with Skype over 3G. Now that the iPhone software developers kit seems to allow for 3G VOIP or Voice over internet protocol , it looks like the floodgates are beginning to open. Fring allows users to simply place calls as they usually do through the service -- yes, that includes Skype calls -- For those of you like me who don’t know what the hell Voice over internet protocol or VOIP means, I looked it up for you, basically, it’s a method for taking analog audio signals, like the kind you hear when you talk on the phone, and turning them into digital data that can be transmitted over the Internet, meaning VoIP can turn a standard Internet connection into a way to place free phone calls. (Engadget)
So if you’re like me, you’re starting to notice that more and more of your older relatives are befriending you on facebook. Mashable is reporting A new eMarketer report shows that the number of Baby Boomers embracing social media, especially Facebook, jumped drastically between 2008 and 2009 with 73% of the group claiming to maintain a Facebook profile. Watch those pictures kids, you don’t want to freak out your nanna. (Mashable)
Mashable is telling us Motorola plans to launch a device with Google later this year that will be sold directly to consumers, the same strategy used with the Nexus One. According to TheStreet.com, the move was revealed in a conference call earlier today with Motorola co-CEO Sanjay Jha, who said the to-be-named device would be one of 20 smartphones the company releases this year. At this point, it’s not clear which carrier, if any, will offer a subsidy on the device. (Mashable)
Gossip & Entertainment
CNN is reporting that J.D. Salinger, the famously reclusive author whose 1951 novel, "The Catcher in the Rye," became a touchstone for generations of readers, has died. He was 91. The author died Wednesday of natural causes at his home in New Hampshire, according to a family statement that his literary agent, Phyllis Westberg, provided Thursday. (CNN)
TMZ is reporting Steven Jackson -- the starting running back for the St. Louis Rams -- has been accused of one of the most vile crimes imaginable ... beating up his girlfriend while she was nine months pregnant with his child. In her complaint, Harris says, "Steven became enraged and pushed me to the ground, repeatedly." Harris says Jackson took her to a nearby hospital -- but instructed her to lie and tell doctors that she was injured from a fall in the shower. Ten days after the alleged incident, Harris gave birth to their son. According to the complaint, Harris claims she left Steven 4 months later -- after he threatened to beat her up again at a music festival in New Orleans. (TMZ)
Jay Leno appeared on Oprah Thursday and the Huffington Post is reporting During his Winfrey appearance, Leno said he was devastated when NBC executives asked him to leave the "Tonight" show because they wanted to give the show to O'Brien. He said he told "a white lie on the air" when he said he was going to retire because he assumed he would find another job in show business. He said he felt "really bad" for O'Brien, whom he hasn't talked with. "I think it's unfair, but TV is not fair," Leno said. (HuffPo) (TMZ)
In my last bit of news today TMZ is telling us that "General" Larry Platt's gripe with saggy bottoms has gotten the "American Idol" star all the way to the Grammys – he’s gonna be performing on the red carpet. TMZ spoke with Platt's manager -- a charming woman named Pinky -- who told them the "Pants on the Ground" king will bust out his intoxicating anthem right before the awards show. (TMZ)
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMwhl4IrPNc
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